We're interrupting our regular program of exciting news about native plants in our gardens (and elsewhere) for a brief sojourn into the world of art. Yes, dear friends, I had the great pleasure yesterday of visiting the deYoung museum's annual Bouquets to Art event, and it was totally spectacular. Over 150 floral designers present a bouquet to a piece of art, matching the mood, the colors, the shape, or all of that. Above, one of the bouquets that did have a California native included (California buckeye branches, just leafing out).
And here the painting that inspired the bouquet. I loved the play on shape and colors!
Even more surprising was this painting.
Being a lover of strong color and decisive shapes, I would have walked right by this. But look at the bouquet that captures the wintery mood.
And just look at the close-up, the amazing attention to detail, the play on white a gray, with just a little green.
Equally intriguing were some bouquets offered to pieces of sculpture. The puma bronze in the upstairs hallway is beautiful, but I'm not sure I would have stopped in my tracks to admire it.
This bouquet, however, certainly did. The floral artist talked in here description about the black cat seducing the puma. And yes, black (or close to black) flowers created a mysterious place for the cat to lie in wait, with a small bouquet of red roses as an offer to the puma.
I especially liked bouquets like this one, where the floral artist did not just follow the lead of the art, but added a totally new dimension. And can you believe that face (made from plant materials, of course)?
Black flowers were also central to this painting, which was close to the two beautiful cats.
See how the shades of green and maroon echo the painting? How the corkscrew shapes in the bouquet are following the shapes on the canvas?
Some bouquets were amazingly simple, like this bouquet to a painting of Abraham's intended sacrifice of his son. In the painting, a scene of desolation with two large gray stones on which the sacrifice is to be performed (the painting is much longer than high), the photo mainly misses the upper frame. The bouquet uses dried tree mushrooms in desert-like shades of ochre, with two offset spindly succulents, the color of the stones in the painting but off center instead.
The final bouquet from the upstairs gallery was another clever riff on a sculpture. The sculture, with its sexy neckline and jaunty hips was so enjoyable.
But even better the bouquet, using primarily calla lillies and some hydrangeas in those little bulgy places.
Tomorrow, I'll do a second post with a few bouquets from the downstairs galleries. I'm sorry the photos aren't more artistic. My friend and I first spent more than two hours just enjoying and admiring the bouquets, camera in pocket. Then, after a cup of tea, we spent maybe 20 minutes trying for a few unobtrusive photos. I do believe that seeing the art, getting close, using your eyes, not the camera, is essential. Then, maybe, a few photos to share. Enjoy!
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